Ruling and opposition party leaders to meet with acting US ambassador SEOUL, September 05 (AJP) - The leaders of South Korea's two main political parties, Jung Chung-rae of the ruling Democratic Party (DP) and Jang Dong-hyeok from the main opposition party People Power Party (PPP), are scheduled to hold separate talks with acting United States Ambassador Joseph Yun, who has been serving as acting ambassador since January, at the National Assembly on Friday. Jung, leader of the ruling party, is set to meet Yun at 3 p.m. in his office at the Assem September 5, 2025

Two South Koreans dead in Lisbon funicular crash SEOUL, September 5 (AJP) - Two South Koreans were killed and another seriously injured in a funicular crash in Lisbon on Wednesday (local time), Seoul's foreign ministry said Friday. The ministry confirmed that a South Korean man and woman died in the crash, while another woman underwent surgery at a local hospital and is still in intensive care. "Our embassy is working closely with Portuguese authorities to provide consular support, including assistance for the injure September 5, 2025

French bestseller 'Empire of the Ants' to be released as webtoon SEOUL, September 4 (AJP) - French novelist Bernard Werber’s 1991 bestseller "Empire of the Ants" will be released as a full-color webtoon in Korea and France in November. Weber is one of the most popular foreign novelists among South Korean book lovers. First published in 1991, Empire of the Ants explores human and ant societies through science fiction, focusing on survival, evolution and social order. Translated into Korean in 1993, the novel became a bests September 4, 2025

Trump calls Beijing parade 'impressive,' mentions Kim and Putin SEOUL, September 04 (AJP) - United States President Donald Trump said Wednesday he was "very surprised" that Chinese President Xi Jinping did not highlight America’s role in World War II during a speech at a military parade in Beijing. "I watched the speech last night. President Xi is a friend of mine," Trump told reporters at the White House as he met with Polish President Karol Nawrocki. "I thought that the United States should have September 4, 2025

Trump says 'not concerned at all' on Beijing military parade SEOUL, September 3 (AJP) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday brushed off suggestions that deepening ties among China, Russia and North Korea posed a challenge to Washington as the leaders of those countries gathered in Beijing for a military parade. In an interview with the Scott Jennings Radio Show, Trump said he was "not concerned at all" about the possibility of an "axis" against the United States. He added, "They would never use their military on us September 3, 2025

South Korea begins Security Council presidency, to host debate on AI SEOUL, September 3 (AJP) - South Korea on Tuesday (local time) began its one-month term as president of the United Nations Security Council, confirming the agenda for September and taking up the role of chairing the council's meetings. As its main event, South Korea will hold a high-level open debate on artificial intelligence and its implications for international peace and security. President Lee Jae Myung is scheduled to preside over the session on September 24 at UN headqu September 3, 2025

Elderly poverty in South Korea projected to spike by 2050 without pension reform SEOUL, September 2 (AJP) - South Korea's elderly poverty rate could soar to more than 40 percent within the next 25 years if the current pension system remains unchanged, according to a government-affiliated research report disclosed on Tuesday. The report, released last December by researchers at the National Pension Research Institute, projected that under the existing system, which sets the income replacement rate at 40 percent and the contribution rate at 9 percent, the el September 2, 2025

President Lee to speak at UN General Assembly later this month SEOUL, September 2 (AJP) - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung will attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York later this month. According to the presidential office, Lee will deliver a keynote address on September 23 and chair an open debate of the Security Council the following day. In his keynote speech, Lee will share South Korea's experience of overcoming difficulties after the Korean War, as well as recovery and development in politics and the economy, and September 2, 2025

Firefighters struggle with worsening mental health as support falls short SEOUL, September 01 (AJP) - The number of South Korean firefighters struggling with mental health issues has surged in recent years, driven by exposure to traumatic incidents such as the 2022 Itaewon stampede accident, while access to professional counseling for first responders remains critically low. According to data submitted by Democratic Party lawmaker Han Byung-do, counseling sessions provided through the National Fire Agency's "visiting counseling program" ro September 1, 2025

Labor minister vows to reduce industrial accident rate to OECD average by 2030 SEOUL, September 1 (AJP) - South Korea's Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Young-hoon pledged on Monday to reduce the number of fatal accidents at workplaces, including factories, to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) average by 2030. Speaking at a press conference at the government complex in the central city of Sejong, Kim said the ministry will try to reduce the industrial fatality rate from 0.39 deaths per 10,000 workers last year to the OE September 1, 2025